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Thursday, 19 November 2015

White male advantage

The phrase 'white male privilege' is wielded with increased regularity against me. Against my friends, family and colleagues who, through no choice of their own, were born white and male.

It's often used as an accusation, as if the many (many) inequalities in the world are solely my fault. I hate it. It makes me feel entirely shit. I do what I can to even out inequality and celebrate equality but I feel massively knocked back when my supposed privilege is thrown in my face.

There have been many times in my life where I've not felt privileged at all. Learning about a friend's suicide and then being told he was privileged because he was white and male when it was the latter of those two things which meant he was statistically more likely to succumb to such a lonely end makes me really fucking angry.

Our government is causing absolute misery to millions with their sadistic obsession with cuts. But those who happen to be white and male? Why they're privileged, the lucky bastards. Those sweeping statements which suggests these people are privileged come across as distinctly insensitive. As ever, when we should be uniting we find ways to turn against each other.

So, here comes the acknowledgement that we do live in an unequal society and that, out of all humanity worldwide, white men are at a distinct advantage. But that's what it is; an advantage. White male advantage. And because of that advantage I'll continue to suck it up and take the privilege accusations on the chin - there are bigger things to concern myself with.

Happy International Men's Day (more info about that here: http://www.internationalmensday.com)